BENNINGTON — Local police are hoping the public can give them some help solving a case in which more than half a ton of copper tubing was stolen sometime before Tuesday from a former school on Main Street, according to Lt. Lloyd Dean of the Bennington Police Department.

In a news release, Dean said the caretaker of the former Mount Anthony Union Middle School reported on Tuesday that copper tubing had been stolen from the basement ceiling.

On Wednesday, the caretaker noticed more of the copper pipes had been taken, police said.

Police believe the point of entry used by the burglar or burglars has been located and secured but not before more than 1,000 pounds of copper pipes had been taken between the two burglaries.

Anyone who has seen suspicious activity in the area or who might have seen what appears to be a cache of freshly cut copper pipes is asked to call the Bennington Police Department at 442-1030.

The school was built 100 years ago as Bennington High School. About 50 years later, it became a middle school that served five towns. When a new middle school was built in 2004, the building was sold to a developer for $200,000.

Due to a lack of maintenance, the building’s value dropped. It was sold at auction to a Canadian developer for $50,000 in 2009.